title: Kinetics of the response of milk and serum beta-carotene to daily beta-carotene supplementation in healthy, lactating women.
abstract: Changes in concentrations of milk and serum carotenoids, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol of five healthy, well-nourished, lactating women were measured over a 28-d supplementation trial with 30 mg beta-carotene and for 4 wk thereafter. Beta-carotene supplementation increased mean beta-carotene concentrations in milk and serum 6.4- and 7.4-fold, respectively. Concentrations of other major carotenoids, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol did not change substantially in either milk or serum. Uptake of beta-carotene into both serum and milk followed apparent first-order kinetics, occurring more rapidly into serum (t(1/2) = 5.5 d) than into milk (t(1/2) = 9 d). After supplementation, milk and serum beta-carotene concentrations decayed slowly, reaching approximately twofold initial concentrations by 4 wk. Kinetics of uptake and decay in milk beta-carotene concentrations paralleled those in serum. The data show that short-term supplementation of healthy, lactating mothers with purified beta-carotene at approximately fivefold the average daily dietary intake substantially increased milk and serum beta-carotene concentrations while not interfering with concentrations of other carotenoids, retinol, or alpha-tocopherol in milk or serum. Thus, an increased intake of beta-carotene by healthy, lactating women increases the supply of milk beta-carotene available to their breast-feeding infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA. ZMCANFIE@U.ARIZONA.edu
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Canfield
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Neilson
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Blashil
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Graver
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Yap
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism*; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism*; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D014810:Vitamin E; D002338:Carotenoids